Navy starts vaccination of personnel with Sinovac shot

The Philippine Navy on Tuesday began the inoculation of its frontline personnel on the second day of the COVID-19 vaccination rollout in the country.

In a statement, the Navy said 30 Navy hospital and health service frontliners were vaccinated at the Jurado Hall in Marine Barracks Rudiardo Brown in Fort Bonifacio in Taguig City.

Acting Navy chief surgeon Colonel Reynaldo Capuz was the first one to be vaccinated by DOH regional director Dr. Corazon Flores.

Taguig City’s 2nd District Representative Lani Cayetano, Navy flag officer in command Vice Admiral Giovanni Bacordo and representatives from the Department of the Interior and Local Government were among those who witnessed the ceremonial inoculation.

“Truly monumental for the Philippine Navy because it marks the beginning of the implementation of the government’s national vaccination program in the PN, which is expected to be in full swing in the coming weeks,” Bacordo said.

“The Philippine Navy is one with the national government and the DOH in protecting and saving Filipino people’s health and lives. We also need this vaccine for us to be able to do our job and we will have them very soon... Little by little, step by step, we can and we will overcome this COVID-19 pandemic together,” he added.

Earlier, the Armed Forces of the Philippines conducted a separate ceremonial vaccination.

Of the 600,000 doses of CoronaVac vaccine that arrived in the country on Sunday, 100,000 were allotted for military personnel. — Ma. Angelica Garcia/BM, GMA News